SMEs engaging in R&D often participate in international trade

More than 60% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), that make use of the Research and Development Promotion Act (Wet Bevordering Speur- en Ontwikkelingswerk; WBSO), invest or trade in the international commodity market.

This was announced by Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) on Monday 13th April 2015. WBSO seeks to stimulate entrepreneurs to raise their investments in research. Therefore, with the aid of the program; companies can lower the wage costs for R&D.

CBS highlights that more than 80% of the SMEs that made use of WBSO in the manufacturing as well as in the retail industry, trade in foreign markets. Conversely, this only applies to 16,7% of the companies, which do not engage in R&D.

WBSO is an initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs (Ministerie van Economische Zaken) to promote innovation and competitiveness of Dutch companies.